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What a weekend! The annual Utah Winter Games competition went down in Park City this past weekend. I had the largest number of skaters that I’ve ever taken to an event participate in this one (7!). My weekend started at about 4:30 in the morning on Friday the 8th, as I woke up to take Jordyn to her 6:30 (!) practice ice session. She had a decent warm up session, following which, we got breakfast at a little diner in Heber City called Chick’s Diner. It was pretty good. 🙂 Back to the rink after that to get ready for her skate. She got ready, got her warmed up, and it was time. She went on the ice for her Juvenile Artistic event, and started off well. Unfortunately, she didn’t end as strongly as we would have liked, but she competed, and that was awesome. Jordyn, I’m so glad you decided to compete! I’m proud of you! Keep skating, but do it for you, because you love it, not for any other reason!

After Jordyn, I had a short break before back to back practice ice sessions with Nicole and Sami. Both had good sessions, and I had another break before my son skated his first competition! No, I’m not his coach, and he’s not part of the 7 above, but what proud father wouldn’t post about his son? Aside from a small fall right at the start (that didn’t even faze him!), he skated well, had a blast, and, I might add, got FIRST place! I’m so proud of him!

Shortly after, it was Sami’s turn for her Basic 5 program event. She did a great skate, looked as adorable as always, and seemed to enjoy herself. She took a well earned 2nd place finish. After her was Nicole, who skated one of her best Freeskate 3 programs ever! She was well deserving of her 1st place finish! Looks like we’ll have to up the ante for the next competition! By now, it was well after 7pm, and time to get home. I think it was after 8 before we actually left the rink!

Phew! What a long first day! 6am to 8pm!

Thankfully, I got to sleep in on Saturday! I didn’t have to be in Park City until 10am for Kaydee’s Pre-Preliminary Freeskate. Kaydee gave it her best, but sadly, she’s been struggling with boot issues (the leather on the side is tearing – the boots have been replaced, but we couldn’t swap right before the competition) and she didn’t have her best skate. She never gave up, though, and fought through to the end. For that, I’m proud of her.

Mindee’s practice ice was next, and we worked out some nerves and some issues with the sit-spin.

The next skater isn’t technically mine, but Isabella is close enough to not matter. Technically, I put her on the ice since her primary coach, Vika, isn’t old enough to be credentialed, so she has to sign up under me. I do work with her on occasion, and I do take an active role in her warm-up and prep on competition day, so I’ll claim her anyways ;). She seemed to have a few nerves this time around for her Preliminary Freeskate, and stepped out of one double salchow, and fell on the second, but she nailed her double toe, and was thinking on her feet when she turned her last axel into a combination with a double toe that should have been on the end of the first salchow. Despite the errors, she skated well and earned a first place finish.

Finally, I had my two Adult Pre-Bronze skaters, Kristyn and Mindee. They were supposed to skate against a third skater, but that skater withdrew, so it was just the two of them. Being the good friends and teammates they are, they encouraged and supported each other through to their 1-2 finish (respectively). Both skated well, and I had no complaints about either.

Overall it was a long and exhausting weekend with many more happy moments than disappointments, and even the disappointments were tinged with positives, so it was a very successful event. I’m so proud of all my skaters for coming out and skating their best, and I look forward to our next competition!

Congrats to all the other skaters who participated and thank you to the FSC of Park City for a great event!

The next test session I’ll be attending is December 8, 2012 at Cottonwood Heights. Applications open up on October 24th. Please have them in early, as it is usually a busy test session, thanks! If you need help filling out the app, let me know, thanks!

The ice will be out at the Oval from April 1 to May 6. I will be teaching primarily at the County Ice Sheet in Murray, but will also supplement at the Cottonwood Heights rink. I will get with each of my students in the coming week to plan for lessons during the time the ice is out. Show practices will continue off-ice at the Oval from 7-8pm on Wednesdays.

Due to a worldcup event, there will be no ice at the Utah Olympic Oval from January 13-22. Please look at the County Ice freestyle schedule and let me know what sessions you can make there. If you are unable to make any of them, let me know and we may just have to skip a week. Thanks!